[GardenOfDarwin]

Ok, you know my breakfast room...Stat white cabinets with dark grey/black soapstone, white cast iron sink, Calacutta Oro marble backsplash (not in the photo yet), an old distressed blackisland with a birch wood top. Stainless appliances/faucet and brushed nickel hardware, plus dark brown cork floors and BM Sage Tint on the walls.

Other room accents are white wood shelves displaying a collection of whiteware, a flip up white table atchildheight withlt. woodchairsand a copper collection in the glass front cabinet. And a big bay window. Sounds like a lot before I even ask the question!





We're planning to extend the reno into the next room (the main kitchen) sometime in the nebulous future. The walls/floor willlikely be the same as in the breakfast room (i.e. sage walls and dark cork floor), and I already have another white cast iron sink stashed away and a Vinnata faucet that I want to have replated in nickel. There's a small portion of exposed brick where an original chimney is in the corner of the room and one smallish window. The refrigerator, main sink and stove/range/microhood are in this room, plus all the food storage, other kitchen stuff, etc.

I would like to use butcherblockon at least part of the counter, and either soapstone again, or stainless steel for the sink and rangesurround. Plus, I'm considering using either Lidingo or another door style as opposed to the Stat white. Either in addition to the Stat in the Breakfast room, or as an overall change in both rooms. Askerum?

Sound like too much? Whew! Does to me! Let me know if you need more info/details. I'd take pictures, but then I'd have to post them over in the "Worst Before Kitchen" contest!

Susan

[nyc_home]

What color are your appliances? Stainless steel for part of your counter looks great with matching appliances and has the added bonus of being heat resistant. But it might be too many elements if your apps are white or black. Another idea: maybe to use some darker colors to carry the tone of your distresses island into the main kitchen?

[Tigratrus]

Luckily enough the appliances (well except for the range, but that will be replaced eventually) are stainless... We decided that stainless was more of a chameleon and would fit in even if we decided to change the overall color scheme later.

[Lisa]

I'm not hearing anything that makes me say "back the truck up" here. It's not like you have a purple plastic bucket chair with a feathered room divider in the breakfast room. All your elements work together and seem to relate back to one another. The white children's table, the color of Alexander's chair repeated in the birch of the island cab. I think if you stick to the same scheme in the kitchen you'll have a fine result.

[GardenOfDarwin]

hmmm....I didn't mention the purple bucket chair? It's actually a swing, and hangs in between the kitchen and breakfast room. Nix it? Really?

Ok, so...so far, so good. Whew! I actually have a degree in art, but that was lo many years ago... Not so confident in my ability to predict the outcome of things sometimes (but, please! don't tell my doubting thomas husband that!!!).

For the main kitchen, I'm thinking of using the Lidingo to sort ofcoordinatewiththe Stat, the new Liljestad painted matte black like the island (great minds, nyc_home) or completely change the doors altogether and go with Askerum...y'know, country it up a bit. (mindstorm would be horrified!) Do any of these sound likeworkable options, given the other elements? Or should I just play it safe and stick with the Stat?

Susan

[Estie]

Can someone describe for me what cork floors are? Are they exspensive compared to other types of flooring?:?Thanks

[Tigratrus]

Mmmm... Complicated question. There are many styles and systems available, the one we installed is similar to a laminate flooring system in that it has laminated panels that click together to form a single flooring surface when completed. The individual planks are NOT glued to the subfloor (that makes this system a "floating floor" ) or each other and we can theoretically disassemble itif we decide that we want tomove it elsewhere or if a plank is damaged etc...

Price vs other flooring: Depends on what you are comparing it to? We paid about $6/sq foot, though we've since found that there are less expensive vendors available online (though then you have to figure in shipping etc). That's more than many flooring options, less than many others.What are you considering?

[Estie]

Oh thanks for the info. I'm not sure what to use for my kitchen flooring. The flooring in the picture above looked nice. I need something dark. Right now I have ugly white/off white rolledlaminate(?). I have five kids and hate washing the floors more than once a week. I have other things to do than be a slave to my kitchen floor! I also don't have a lot to spend. I liked Ikea's wood floor laminate option, I think it's about 1.49 sq ft, unless I'm mistaken? Because of the price and because of the colors, anything will be better than white! What do you think, any suggestions?

[Tigratrus]

I think Lisa went with IKEA laminate flooring? For a low maintenance floor that style of laminate flooring woulf definitely be my pick. My mom installed some sort of grayish (2'X2' squares) laminate flooring from Home Depot and it's been nearly indestructible, despite her having two Sheltie dogs and often hosting our toddler duo. It's great stuff. Perhaps we can tempt Lisa into commenting on what she finally decided on.. Tree Lisa?

[Estie]

Do they look like a laminate? Your mothers 2'x2's? I was wondering if there's maybe a tile laminate that looks real? Thanks